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Re: Is Democracy Antithetical to 'Terrorism'

Originally Posted by SE102

Attacking civilians to coerce an occupying nation into withdrawal? It's hard for me to legitimize the attacking of innocent citizens in any way. Don't think I can.

Terrorism doesn't mean "attacking civilians". Terrorism is a representative act that plays on people's fear and their ability to abstract from events. In other words, it is an action that leads to a psychological abstraction of fear in connection with something.

This is why, for example, sabotage or guerrilla warfare in war and bombing civilians as a political act can both be classified as terrorism.

Last edited by Khayembii Communique; 11-07-10 at 11:17 AM.

"I do not claim that every incident in the history of empire can be explained in directly economic terms. Economic interests are filtered through a political process, policies are implemented by a complex state apparatus, and the whole system generates its own momentum."

Re: Is Democracy Antithetical to 'Terrorism'

Originally Posted by SE102

Attacking civilians to coerce an occupying nation into withdrawal? It's hard for me to legitimize the attacking of innocent citizens in any way. Don't think I can.

Let's dial it back by thirty years so we can have a (more) plausible scenario: the Soviets have invaded and are occupying your hometown. Now, they have plenty of military assets in the area, but they also have civilian contractors working to "upgrade" your infrastructure and many of the townsfolk-- your neighbors-- are collaborating with the Soviets.

Are you saying that the Soviet troops are the only legitimate targets? Because I'd consider that an open field.

Re: Is Democracy Antithetical to 'Terrorism'

It seems alot of people could legitimize terror when they are given the POV of themselves being occupied by a foreign power. The nature of developments and technology has turned asymmetric warfare into this thing we have today. Pretty much 99.9% of suicide terror attacks (prior to the Iraq war and the ensuing chaos) have been for the purposes of coercing a military occupier, and most commonly (possibly every time) against a democratic state since the dissolution of the USSR.

It sucks when morality is so relative. Paradoxically when its not, when it is crystallized, violence and immorality is permissible for the sake of that same morality.

Re: Is Democracy Antithetical to 'Terrorism'

Originally Posted by Khayembii Communique

Terrorism doesn't mean "attacking civilians". Terrorism is a representative act that plays on people's fear and their ability to abstract from events. In other words, it is an action that leads to a psychological abstraction of fear in connection with something.

This is why, for example, sabotage or guerrilla warfare in war and bombing civilians as a political act can both be classified as terrorism.

What is your opinion on attacking civilians then. When hard targets are suicide and there no way to bargain your way out of occupation and your people are pretty much being stomped on.

Re: Is Democracy Antithetical to 'Terrorism'

Originally Posted by Ikari

the majority can routinely violate the rights of the minority, oppressing them and keeping them down. This is one of the biggest problems with a pure democracy.

It's not about democracy, rights, minorities, or oppression. It's the ongoing efforts to find jobs, any kind of job, to take care of families, and being in the right place at the right time with the right kind of experience.

The Biography Channel has showed examples of unforeseen incidents of famous people that eventually led to success hundreds of times.

Re: Is Democracy Antithetical to 'Terrorism'

Democracy in no way hampers terrorism -- if you want real-world examples, you can just look at the number of home-grown terrorists the US has, and how much death and destruction they've caused.

Democracy has essentially no bearing on the growth of terrorism -- even in a democracy, there will always be disenfranchised political groups, and so there will always be radical dissenters.

And radical dissent is only a short step away from flying a plane into a Kansas City post office.

Have to disagree. While Democracy is no magic wand that eradicates domestic terrorism, it certainly lowers the probability. Compare the US, UK, or France to Yemen, Cambodia or Burma in terms of domestic political violence.